All 12 of These Trending Tops Will Have a Place in My Wardrobe This Year

Excuse the dramatic statement, but I think there are some really amazing tops out there right now. Seriously. It wasn't so long ago in my fashion career that the most daring top-half garment you'd come across in any given store was a red crew-neck sweater or a shirt with an embellished Peter Pan collar (wild).

These days, the world of blouses, vests, tees, shirts and knits is a banquet of extraordinary things to feast upon. There are mad sweaters (hi, Ganni!), adorable cardigans (thanks, French girls!), sleeves big enough to bash people out of your way and fancy cuts and fabrics sassy enough to ditch party dresses for and head on out into the night like the magical creature you are.

There are also sportswear items that have been appropriated by the coolest fashion crowds to wear outside of anything remotely cardiac. We've stolen (and elevated) items from the men's section like Hawaiian shirts (they did receive the Prada seal of approval, after all). There's literally never been a better moment for your oldest jeans to feel like they're being put to good use than now.

So if you're like me and still a bit too wedded to your black polo-necks and basic jersey tees, 2019 is the time to switch things up a bit. I've trawled through Instagram to bring you the coolest top trends that I think will take over this year. Keep scrolling to see them in action and shop the key looks.

Mais oui, the French set do appreciate a quality cardigan when they see them. Make like Parisian and give this old-fashioned staple some new life by unbuttoning it at the top and bottom. It's best served in an open knit with tortoiseshell buttons and in a neutral or pastel colour.

Tie-dye can be a scary thing to approach in anything other than a simply shaped top, and with it being a catwalk-led print trend for the year, this will be the way it takes off IRL.

This champagne satin blouse from Orseund Iris did the Insta rounds during Christmas party season, which means many other retailers will catch up soon and start carrying shiny night-out tops any day now…

Camisoles and vest tops have been steadily making a return to the fore over the past year, but we expect spaghetti straps to become even more detailed by the time summer hits.

Once the classic attire of cyclists everywhere, we're seeing these super-sporty zip-up roll-necks take a prime position in the closets of many fashion girls. Wear solo or as a layering piece under chunky knits and coats.

Related: 21 Expensive-Looking Knitwear Buys From & Other Stories, Arket and COS

It's hard to imagine a life without thermals right now, but when the hot weather comes, we'll be reaching for the kind of lace-up or cup-defined bodices you'd find Stevie Nicks wearing in the '70s.

Formfitting and often rendered in a statement print, we've seen mesh tops taking over our feeds since the start of 2019. During these colder months, they make for a fantastic layering tool.

With all things surfer-related happening for spring/summer 2019, there will be more of these boxy, short-sleeved Hawaiian-inspired shirts to come. Best to reconfigure them entirely—ditch the shorts and the bum-bag and add to something more whimsical, like a pleated skirt.

I visited Manchester recently, and so many cool girls on the street were wearing neon-green roll-necks. I've also heard a rumour that they really brighten up your face in the depths of winter. All good.

Think back to the kind of pretty collared blouses you hated to wear age 7. Well, that's exactly the kind of thing that's trending. Blame Ganni. Or celebrate Ganni, depending on how you feel about in 2019.

The 1980s are still going strong in high fashion circles, and now that many are accustomed to statement sleeves, the silhouette has transcended into knitwear. Wear tucked into high-waisted trousers or a skirt to avoid feeling swamped in volume.

The outlook for S/S 19 is retro logo–heavy, so it only makes sense that the current trend for motif tees moves on a little. If you're a smart aleck, you'll buy them secondhand or vintage.